Twilight hummed happily to herself as she dusted the shelves. She and Spike had been cleaning the library for an hour. She looked around herself. Every square inch of the library practically shone. The wooden floors had been mopped, Spike had arranged the books and every square inch had been dusted. Everything was ready for tonight.
Twilight clapped her hooves and hopped over to her master list that contained the template for every list she’d ever created and found the list for things she needed to throw a slumber party. She had pillows for the pillow fights, crackers, chocolate, marshmallows and a whole book of scary stories. She continued to hum her happy tune as she checked off each item on her list. Usually Spike would do that, but he was off with the CMC on the Apple farm. Something about spin the bottle cutie marks, but Twilight wasn’t sure how spinning a bottle got you a cutie mark. Those fillies sure were strange at times.
Ever since the first sleepover between Twilight Applejack and Rarity, they had had a sleepover every week to commemorate the event in which Rarity and Applejack had strengthened their friendship after quarreling. Eventually, Applejack started inviting Rainbow Dash. Then Rarity invited Pinkie Pie who added to the event just by being herself. It didn’t seem right to exclude Fluttershy so they invited her as well. It had become a tradition and one they all enjoyed. They’d stay up late, share stories, sing campfire songs courtesy of Pinkie who knew every campfire song there was and make s’mores together. It was the highlight of Twilight’s week. Sometimes, she wondered how she’d ever made it without friendship. Since there was still a few minutes before her friends were due to arrive she telekinetically pulled a book from the shelf. It was Daring Do and the Lost Sunstone. She’d read it before, but it was one of her personal favorites. Just as she lost herself in the heroic exploits of Daring she heard a rush of wind and the stamping of hooves. A cyan pegasus and an orange earth pony blazed into the library.
“I got through the door first!” The proud pegasus, Rainbow Dash, boasted as she fluttered down to face her rival Applejack.
“You danged liar, I got through the door first!”
“My muzzle went through the entrance before yours did!”
“My left fetlock got through the entrance before your lyin’ muzzle!”
“I’m not lying, you’re lying!” Dash exclaimed lifting into the air with a flap of her wings. Applejack reared up and got her tail, pulling her down to the ground.
“Uh-uh, Sugarcube! I won so pay up!”
Dash groaned. “Fine. I’ll do half your chores tomorrow. Hey! I bet I can bake s’mores quicker than you!”
“You’re on!”
Twilight trotted up and they all shared a quick group nuzzle. “Hi, Girls! Why don’t we wait for the others to get here before we get started on the s’mores.”
“Ugh. Yeah, Pinkie will kill me if I make s’mores without her.” Dash said.
“Then she’ll come after me. That filly is scary when she gets mad.” Applejack added.
“Try dating her.” Dash muttered under her breath.
“So, you and Dash are competing again?” Twilight asked.
“When aren’t we competing?” Dash responded.
“Well, Applejack’s has been awful busy on the farm.” Twilight said.
“We got all the work done which gives me time to put this featherbrain in her place.”
“As if! I totally ate more apples than you!”
“Yeah, but I threw that rock farther than you could throw it!”
“Well, I still outraced you to town!”
“I outraced you to the library!”
Dash grabbed a pillow and tossed it at Applejack who was taken by surprise. She reared back from the unexpected assault of softness as Dash threw more pillows at Applejack, a few veering off course and hitting Twilight. Twilight’s horn glowed as she grabbed a pillow in midair and sent it hurtling at Dash. For a second she felt a tingle in her horn. This was the first time today she'd used her magic. She had discovered cleaning with her hooves was more thorough than levitating a cloth. Momentarily distracted by the tingling she didn't notice Dash flying up in the air in order to unleash an aerial assault. Twilight and Applejack scattered. Twilight’s horn glowed once more with ethereal power as she took up all the pillows at once, throwing them at the pegasus. Dash yelped as she was buried under a small mountain of pillows. Applejack pounced on her, tickling her stomach.
“Admit I’m the better runner!” Applejack demanded.
“Never!” Dash shouted back.
“Ooh! Are we having a tickle party?” A pink blur asked as it shot into the library and tackled both Applejack and Dash, tickling them both. They wiggled and laughed beneath the relentless tickling of Pinkie’s hooves. Twilight smiled as she watched her friends. Then in a rare moment of playfulness she levitated a feather quill and flicked it over Pinkie’s side. Pinkie squealed and fell back onto the floor. Applejack and Rainbow Dash crawled out from beneath the pillows. Twilight continued her tickling of Pinkie Pie who finally used her mouth to grab the quill from Twilight’s aura. Twilight at least had the common sense to look worried before Pinkie pounced at her. Twilight teleported in a burst of arcane power, but the pink enigma took off running after her.
“Come back Twilight and take your tickling!” Pinkie shouted though her voice was muffled by the feather.
“You’re not getting anywhere near me with that thing!” Twilight said as she galloped around the library.
“I gotcha now!” Pinkie lept. Twilight teleported again and took off in the opposite direction. Pinkie shot off towards her, finally tackling her in a tangle of pony limbs. Twilight tried to throw her off, but it was too late. Pinkie ran the feather along Twilight’s ribs and hooves eliciting wild laughter.
“Good evening, Darlings!” A cultured voice announced Rarity’s arrival. A few seconds later Fluttershy trotted inside.
“Oh are we late? Sorry.” Fluttershy said.
“Nah, the party’s just getting started.” Dash told her. Pinkie bounced up and grabbed Fluttershy and Rarity in a hug which they returned.
“Ooh, now that we’re all hear let’s make some s’mores!” Twilight exclaimed. They all started gathering the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolates. A shot of magic from Twilight’s horn ignited a fire which they all gathered around. In a few minutes each one had made her own s’more. Rarity and Applejack had long reconciled their differences over how s’mores were supposed to be made and sat side-by-side munching on the tasty treats.
“Hey, anyone wanna sing a song?” Pinkie asked. Her suggestion was met with nods of approval.
Pinkie breathed in some air and began to sing.
“When I was an iddy-biddy filly
my mama would rock me in the cradle
in them cotton fields back home
It was down in Earthcana
just about a mile from Ponyana
in them old rocky fields back home!”
She tapped her hooves to the rhythm, the others beginning to join in. Soon everypony was tapping their hooves and singing along to Pinkie’s chorus. Even Twilight who had never heard the song soon got caught up in the rhythm.
“That was fun!” Pinkie said as she stopped singing. “But I wanna play truth-or-dare!”
“Okay, but I wanna go first!” Dash said.
“No, I wanna go first!” Pinkie said. “Rarity, truth or dare!”
“Dare.”
“I was hoping you’d say that! I dare you to snatch Applejack’s hat!”
“You ain’t touchin’ mah hat.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Darling.”
“But you said dare! You have to!” Twilight told her.
Rarity grinned and her horn glowed. The hat was taken up in a blue aura and lifted from Applejack’s head.
“See? I’m not touching it!”
She brought it towards her. Applejack reached out and got it in her mouth. Rarity immediately released it.
“Darling, you’ll tear it!”
Applejack flipped it back on her head. “I got a whole closet full of’em.”
“Why do you have a closet full of identical hats?”
Applejack shrugged. “Cause I like’em.”
“Then why didn’t you want me touching it?”
“Because.”
“Because is not an answer.”
Applejack only chuckled. “Now it’s your turn. I dare ya to mess up your mane!”
“I most certainly will not!”
“If you don’t I’ll mess it up for ya!”
Rarity gave an elegant sniff. “Very well then.”
She ran her hooves through her mane and rubbed them through, disrupting her carefully combed manestyle. Then she flung her head
several times.
“Dang it. It still looks pretty.” Applejack moaned.
Rarity blushed. “You really think so?”
“Yeah. I don’t think you’re mane can’t look pretty.”
“Your mane is very pretty too, Applejack.”
“I dare Rarity to go a day without styling her mane.” Rainbow Dash chirped.
“Um, Applejack already dared Rarity. I don’t think you can to. Can she?” Twilight wondered.
“I’ll go a day without styling my mane if you actually brush yours one of these days.” Rarity said.
“When I fly my hair gets messed up anyway.”
“Um, mine doesn’t.” Fluttershy muttered.
“It’s my turn!” Twilight said. “I mean, I think it’s my turn. I got a little confused. Fluttershy, truth-or-dare?”
“Um…truth. No dare. Wait, truth. No, whatever you pick is fine.”
“Alright. Is there anyone you have a crush on?”
Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind her mane. Dash placed a wing over her protectively and mouthed “Thunderlane.”
“Okay. I think it’s your turn now.” Twilight said, flipping through her copy of Your Guide to Sleepover Games.
“Alright. Truth-or-dare, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to um…do something you’re afraid of.”
“But I’m not afraid of anything.”
“What about cat-”
“I’m. Not. Afraid. Of. Anything.”
“You’re scared of cats, RD?” Applejack asked.
“I AM NOT AFRAID OF CATS!” Dash shouted, then curled up. “They just have really beady eyes and they freak me out. I dare YOU to do something you’re scared of.”
“Um, okay.” Fluttershy tiptoed into the bathroom and flushed a toilet. She yelped and zoomed out. Everypony stared at her.
She sat down. Dash once more placed a wing over her. “That wasn’t too scary was it?”
“N-no, I’m fine.” Fluttershy said curling into Dash.
Next was Pinkie’s turn again. Pinkie dared Dash to dress up like a bunny rabbit. Somehow Twilight actually had a bunny costume and they all decided Dash looked adorable in it especially when Applejack dared her to hop around in it. Strangely, she didn’t seem to mind it too much. Dash then asked Pinkie who her crush was. Pinkie only shrugged and said her heart belonged to chocolate cake. Around midnight Twilight began to nod off. Then Fluttershy began snoring on Dash’s shoulder. Dash’s eyes began to droop and she ended up leaning on Applejack who was napping beneath her hat. Rarity curled up by Applejack. Pinkie was the last one to succumb to the sleeping pony-pile.
…
The great and mighty Twilight Sparkle, clad in shining armour, galloped upon the field of battle. The sky was black, blotted out by an army of changelings. With a surge of her horn she brought forth a wall of magical energy that the changelings crashed against. They hissed and shouted as they writhed against the shield. Some got through, but Twilight lifted up great stones and swung them against the Changelings.
“What hit me? What the hay?!” One exclaimed in what sounded like Dash’s voice.
…
The Elements of Harmony minus a sleeping a purple unicorn woke to an unusual sight. Twilight’s horn was glowing with ethereal power. Books and objects swirled all around them caught up in a swirling blue field of energy. Twilight rolled over and mumbled something about
“For the Princes! Vivat Sol Imperium!”
Dash rubbed the side of her head that a book had banged against.
“Twilight?” Applejack asked. “What’re you doing?”
Pinkie poked her. “She’s asleep! Unicorns can use magic when they’re asleep?”
Rarity shushed them. She carefully tiptoed over to Twilight and placed her horn to Twilight’s. She groaned as magic from Twilight’s horn
flowed into hers.
“Such power! I’ve never felt anything like it!” She cried, jerking away. Then she placed her horn to Twilight’s again allowing the flow of energy.
Her eyes temporarily glowed purple. The books and objects began to fall, but Rarity quickly caught them. Twilight’s eyes opened.
“What…what’s going on?”
“It’s alright, Dear. Go back to sleep.” Rarity said, giving her a reassuring hug.
“I was bed-surging wasn’t I?” Twilight asked in a strained voice.
“I’m afraid so.” Rarity told her.
“I’m sorry!” Twilight shouted covering her face with her hooves and beginning to cry. “I’m pathetic! I shouldn’t still be doing this at my age!” Her sobs turned to sniffling as Rarity rubbed her back and Dash enveloped her in a hug.
“Sweetie Belle does this sometimes. Everpony messes up on occasion." Rarity assured her.
“Sweetie Belle’s still a filly. I’m an Alpha-level Unicorn! I could kill someone if I ever lost control.” Twilight stood up. “That’s why I have to always be in control. I can never lose control. Never, never, never!” Twilight said, pacing back and forth.
“Everypony loses control sometimes.” Rarity said, continuing to try to assure her. She walked forward and wrapped her fellow unicorn up in a hug. "It's okay, Darling." She said in a soothing voice, in a tone similar to how one would speak to an upset foal. Twilight narrowed her eyes and pushed her away.
"Rarity, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but talking to me like I'm Sweetie Belle isn't helping." Twilight said, pushing Rarity away.
“Rarity’s right though. It was just an accident.” Fluttershy added.
“Maybe, but usually this doesn’t happen. Not since I was twelve! I use magic all the time so that by night my stores are exhausted. I’ve been so busy studying theory I’ve neglected to practice my exercises. I can’t do that! I can’t…”
“Celestia, it was just an accident Egghead.” Dash told her. There was a nasty bruise forming on her head.
Twilight saw it. “I hit you didn’t I?”
“Well, yeah, but you didn’t mean to.”
Twilight started sniffling again. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I ruined the sleepover.”
“You didn’t ruin anything, Sugarcube!” Applejack placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Look, we all have something we’re embarrassed about.”
“Something that could kill somepony?”
“Well…I accidentally hurt Applebloom once.”
“What? How?” Twilight asked. Everyone’s attention was on the farm pony.
Applejack sighed. “I’d never hurt that filly on purpose. But, she was followin’ me around one day and got too close while I was buckin’ a tree.
The apples fell right on top of her. She was fine, but I’ve never cried so much in my life. You know what she told me the next day? She hugged me and said ‘I forgive you.’”
“Aw…” Rarity cooed. “To tell you the truth I’ve done a few embarrassing things myself. You’ve been there for a few of them. The most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done was the first time I got drunk and threw up on my dad’s autographed hoofball. He was quite cross with me for a while.”
Twilight giggled.
“I had to clean it. Not. Pleasant. I’ve never touched a drop of alcohol since then.”
“Sometimes I’m afraid I’m the reason Fluttershy’s so scared of everything.” Dash admitted.
“But you used to protect me!” Fluttershy protested.
“Yeah, a little bit too much. Like remember when we had to get rid of the dragon? I didn’t want you to go not because I thought you couldn’t do it, but because I was afraid the dragon would hurt you.”
“Oh, Dashie!” Fluttershy embraced her friend. Dash wrapped her wing around her. “I’m sure it’s not your fault I’m the way I am. In fact, you make me brave. I want to be brave like you.” The two friends separated.
“I’ve done embarrassing things too. Like, once I jumped in a bush to avoid having a conversation with somepony. They saw me and talked to the bush for ten minutes straight.” Fluttershy admitted. A sheepish expression crossed Pinkie's face.
“Sorry.” Pinkie said. “I’ve done a few embarrassing things. I want to make everypony happy and smile, but sometimes I just annoy them instead.”
Dash patted her shoulder. "You don't annoy me, Pinks."
The others all murmured their agreement.
Rarity smiled. “So, you see Twilight you’re not alone. Everypony has something embarrassing in their lives. Everypony has something to struggle with.”
“So, you guys don’t think differently of me?”
They all shook their heads no.
“Oh, girls. Thank you. I love you all!”
Rarity was the first to hug her. The others soon joined in, offering the distraught librarian the comfort of their presence. For a while they huddled together enjoying one another’s comforting touch.